Cargo vehicles, such as commercial vans and the like, typically have a bulkhead separating the driver and passenger space from the cargo space. Bulkheads separate the driver and passenger space from the cargo space by extending from one side of the vehicle to the other and from the floor of the vehicle to the ceiling. Bulkheads typically consist of a one-piece sheet metal design, but could also be a multi-piece assembly such that two large stampings spot welded together form a box beam where the upper and lower portions overlap. Plywood and high strength plastics have also been used for bulkheads. Occasionally bulkheads have a portion cut out near the top so as to serve as a window for the driver to see into the cargo space and beyond the rear of the vehicle via use of the rearview mirror.
While effectively defining cargo space, the challenge presented by the known commercial van bulkhead is that it reduces overall flexibility of the vehicle. To have maximum flexibility it is desirable for the van to be a “dual usage” van which can be used to transport workers to a building site in the morning, be used to transport large goods during the working day and then be used to take the workers back home in the evening or as a multi-use vehicle that can operate as family transport or as a business van for owner operators.
In order to meet the demands of this role the vehicle must be able to be easily converted between a single and a double cab van without requiring parts to be removed from the vehicle while meeting safety requirements such as the need for a full bulkhead in both configurations.
A moveable bulkhead with collapsible seats is known from, for example, GB-A-2,384,464. This arrangement provides a full uncompromised seating position in one condition and a tightly packaged stowed condition but has the disadvantage that the seats are mounted to the bulkhead. The mounting of the seats to the bulkhead is disadvantageous because it requires a more significant structure to be used for the bulkhead resulting in increased vehicle weight and places unique and expensive requirements on the bulkhead mechanism and latches in order to meet safety standards particularly seat belt standards.
There are at least two main problems with the known art of sliding bulkheads and these are ergonomics and packaging.
The ergonomics issue relates to the process required to move the bulkhead from one position to the other, because the moveable bulkhead needs to package as tightly around the stowed seats as possible so as not to loose package space, the sliding bulkhead cannot be operated from a position between the stowed seats and the bulkhead, but only from behind the bulkhead, that is to say, from the load/cargo space.
This means that moving the bulkhead from the forward position to the rear will trap the operator in the cargo area or, when moving the bulkhead to the forward position from the rear position, the operator must enter the cargo area of the vehicle through the rear doors to move the bulkhead and this may be dangerous or impossible if the vehicle is fully loaded. Although this problem can be mitigated by moving the bulkhead partially and then making use of the side load door (side cargo door) to squeeze around to the other side before completing the translatory movement of the bulkhead, this requires access to the mechanism and latches from both sides of the bulkhead which adds complexity and cost to the securing mechanism and is inconvenient.
Regarding the packaging problem, when the 2nd row seats are stowed, they normally still package rearward of the vehicle's b-pillars, requiring the bulkhead to form a shallow “U” or “C” section in plan view in order to reach around the seats to the structure and sealing flanges of the b-pillar. That is to say, the side portions of the bulkhead must extend forwardly so as to be securable to the structure adjacent the b-pillar. When the bulkhead is moved rearwards to the c-pillar, this “U”-shape of the bulkhead protrudes past the c-pillar into the cargo area thereby reducing the stowage volume significantly. Although this could be partially mitigated by providing an alternative or 2nd latching and sealing feature on the rear plane of the bulkhead, such that the bulkhead only has to be moved until the rearward latching features reach the c-pillar, such a mechanism adds cost and complexity whilst the un-used forward latch mechanisms/seal flanges offer questionable styling.
It would be advantageous to provide a moveable bulkhead for a vehicle that is easy to move, install or remove from the vehicle and maximizes available cargo space irrespective of the seating configuration of the vehicle.
Accordingly, as in so many areas of vehicle storage technology, there is room for further advancement in the art of moveable bulkhead constructions.